Tampering detection system for financial kiosks

Abstract

Methods and systems for safeguarding financial transaction kiosks may include components configured to monitor for criteria indicating tampering with a kiosk. The kiosk may include a safe, a computer disposed external to the safe, and a cash dispensing device disposed at least partially within the safe and selectively coupled to the external computer by an electronic communication path. Using processing logic disposed in the safe, a switch disposed in the electronic communication path may be caused to open in response to detection of one or more of the tampering criteria, thereby automatically severing the communication path.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A financial transaction system comprising:
 a kiosk;   a safe housed in the kiosk;   a computer disposed external to the safe;   a cash dispensing device disposed at least partially within the safe and coupled to the computer by a first electronic communication path;   wherein the computer disposed external to the safe is configured to control the dispensing device to selectively dispense cash stored in the safe;   a switch disposed in the first electronic communication path and controlled by processing logic disposed in the safe;   wherein the processing logic is configured, in response to one or more criteria indicating tampering with the kiosk, to sever the first communication path by causing the switch to open.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the switch is configured to fail open upon loss of power. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second electronic communication path from the computer to the processing logic, wherein the one or more criteria include a loss of communication between the computer and the processing logic. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a third electronic communication path between the computer and an electronic card reader of the kiosk,
 wherein the switch is disposed in the third electronic communication path, such that the third electronic communication path is severed whenever the first electronic communication path is severed.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an antenna coupled to the processing logic;
 wherein the one or more criteria include detection, by the processing logic using the antenna, of an unknown wireless transmitter having a signal strength greater than a selected threshold for longer than a selected duration.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a camera system configured to capture digital images of an area adjacent the kiosk and record the captured digital images, wherein the camera system is configured to communicate a loitering-detected signal in response to loitering detected in the captured digital images;   a system controller configured, in response to receiving the loitering-detected signal from the camera system, to corroborate the loitering by automatically retrieving and analyzing transaction data for the kiosk during a time associated with the captured images, such that a corroboration by the transaction data results in a confirmed detection of loitering.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein processing logic of the kiosk comprises the system controller. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the system controller is further configured, in response to receiving the loitering-detected signal from the camera system, to communicate an alert and the captured digital images to a remote user. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more criteria include the confirmed detection of loitering. 
     
     
         10 . A method for safeguarding financial transaction kiosks, the method comprising:
 monitoring for one or more criteria indicating tampering with a kiosk, wherein the kiosk includes a safe, a computer disposed external to the safe, and a cash dispensing device disposed at least partially within the safe and selectively coupled to the computer by a first electronic communication path, and wherein the computer disposed external to the safe is configured to control the dispensing device to selectively dispense cash stored in the safe; and   automatically severing the first communication path, in response to detection of the one or more criteria, by using processing logic disposed in the safe to cause a switch disposed in the first electronic communication path to open.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , the kiosk further comprising a second electronic communication path from the computer to the processing logic, wherein the one or more criteria include a loss of communication between the computer and the processing logic. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , the kiosk further comprising an antenna coupled to the processing logic;
 wherein the one or more criteria include detection, by the processing logic using the antenna, of an unknown wireless transmitter having a signal strength greater than a selected threshold for longer than a selected duration.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 automatically severing a third electronic communication path between the computer and an electronic card reader of the kiosk whenever the first electronic communication path is severed.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 capturing digital images of an area adjacent the kiosk using a camera system;   saving the captured digital images;   in response to loitering automatically detected in the captured digital images, using the camera system to communicate a loitering-detected signal to a system controller; and   in response to receiving the loitering-detected signal from the camera system, corroborating the loitering using the system controller by automatically retrieving and analyzing transaction data for the kiosk during a time associated with the captured images, such that a corroboration by the transaction data results in a confirmed detection of loitering.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the processing logic of the kiosk comprises the system controller. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the system controller is further configured, in response to receiving the loitering-detected signal from the camera system, to communicate an alert and the captured digital images to a remote user. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more criteria include the confirmed detection of loitering. 
     
     
         18 . A financial transaction system comprising:
 a safe housed in a kiosk;   a cash dispensing device disposed at least partially within the safe;   a computer disposed external to the safe and coupled to the cash dispensing device by a first electronic communication path, wherein the computer is configured to control the dispensing device to selectively dispense cash stored in the safe;   a switch disposed in the first electronic communication path and controlled by processing logic disposed in the safe; and   a camera system configured to capture digital images of an area adjacent the kiosk and save the captured digital images;   wherein the processing logic is configured, in response to one or more criteria indicating tampering with a kiosk, to automatically sever the first communication path by causing the switch to open and to automatically cause one or more of the captured digital images to be communicated to a remote user.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more criteria include a confirmed detection of loitering, the confirmed detection of loitering comprising an automatic detection of loitering by the camera system in the captured digital images, automatically corroborated by the processing logic by analysis of transaction data for the kiosk during a time associated with the captured images. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising a second electronic communication path from the computer to the processing logic, wherein the one or more criteria include a loss of communication between the computer and the processing logic.